Category: blog

Last Sunday Ruthie wore one of the dresses that my mom made for my sister when she was a baby. She made a larger size for me which will fit Lael perfectly once I fix the hem. I can’t wait to put them in these dresses together! Here is a picture of Lael wearing it. Seems like just yesterday…

Before Lael was born I had a business called Blush and Bashful Baby making burp cloths, bibs, and appliqued onesies. I had to take a little break for a while to get the hang of this momma thing. 🙂

But finally I’m trying to get back in the saddle! This time I am specializing in burp cloths only. After having my own babes I have realized that burp cloths are probably one of the most useful baby items you can have, you need a lot of them, you use them for many months, and well, they just work better when they’re cute! 😉

These unique, colorful Burp ‘n Bottom cloths are set apart from the rest! Want a change from the common, white burpies? Here you go! Use them to catch that spit up or use them for a changing pad in a pinch! These cloths have been pre-washed because of the coloring process, and after being washed and dried have pillowed up beautifully and measure approximately 17×12 inches. These aren’t your average burp cloths. They are made with diaper service quality cloth diapers and will be sure to address the mess!

You can go directly to my etsy shop link on my left sidebar. What you see is what I currently have. But more will be coming soon!

I am so incredibly happy to introduce you to the newest member of the Dooley family! Little Porter Reece came home last week to our dear friends and proud parents, Rod and Jewitte through the gift of adoption. He is such an incredible blessing, and it’s so neat that, unbeknownst to any of us, Porter was growing in the womb at the same time Ruthie was. They are 2 months and 1 day apart in age!

Boy, does he love those girls. His gentle nature and tender heart makes him such an amazing girl dad. The Lord has given our daughters such a gift in giving them Trey as their father.

Love my babies’ daddy. 🙂

The picture below is one frame prior to Ruthie getting clocked in the head by the table. Still workin’ on the neck control. 🙂

Reminds me of a famous Kelli quote. I was holding my baby sister when she was first born. My mom told me to hold her head up, so it wouldn’t fall.

I said, “Momma! It’s not gonna fall- it’s hooked on!” 🙂

Okay, take two of blowing out candles. Good ‘ol passy makes everything better.

3. Bath buddies.

A couple of weeks ago Jess and the boys came for the week, and it was so great. I can’t believe this is the only picture I got the whole time they were here. You can imagine it was a tad hectic.

4. ” You better stop making that face or else it’s gonna stick like that!”

5. Two peas in a pod.

After I took this picture of Ruthie I realized that I had one of Lael that looked very similar, and they’re about the same age. They definitely have their own looks, but sometimes when I look at Ruthie it’s like deja vu- almost like looking at Lael as a baby all over again.

6. Drowning out our sorrows.

Trey and I have endured some car rides where both girls have had melt downs in unison for a significant amount of time. And when I say significant, I mean 5 minutes. Doesn’t sound like that long? Oh, it is. Trey and I decided that if you just turn up the radio really loud you can drown it out. 🙂

Then I look back there and she’s doing this…

… and I forget about my previous urges to pull my hair out.

7. You could hang a picture on that thing.

So, check out Lael’s little newborn foot. You see the pinky toe? Probably the longest pinky toe I’ve ever seen on a baby. That sucker is like a hook!

Ruthie girl takes after her big sis.

8. Terrifying tots.

Have you ever watched Toddlers and Tiaras?? If not, please do so at your earliest convenience. You will have to close your own gaping mouth. I’ve never seen anything like it. Even Trey indulges me and watches it just for pure entertainment. There’s a “full glitz”, “ultimate grand supreme” pageant world out there that I have no clue about. I’m glad.

9. Go big small or go home.

In honor of the next to last day of National Breastfeeding Month I thought I would make a strong recommendation for a lil’ thing that has changed my milkin’ momma life. If you’re in the market for a pump, this is the one to get. You can be wireless and hands free all at the same time, AND it times how long you’ve been pumping so you don’t have to keep watching the clock!

I don’t want to vacuum my house while pumping milk, but if I really wanted to I could!

10. One of my greatest challenges thus far.

While we’re on the subject of breast feeding, I am now on a dairy and soy free diet.

Let me be frank. It is not fun. We can’t really go out to eat, and I have to be super paranoid about everything little thing that enters my mouth. When we have gone out to eat I have to be that annoying customer who bugs the manager about the specific ingredients that are in a certain dish. It’s humbling.

If you didn’t know, milk, and soy especially, are in ev.ery.thin.g.

Why am I on this diet? Well, our doctor suspects that Ruthie’s little system is dairy and soy protein intolerant. Microscopic blood was found in her stool and an intolerance to one or both of these things is usually the culprit.

Breast feeding is such a blessing. I would say that nursing times with my babies have been some of the sweetest moments of my life. Not only is breast feeding best, it’s the ultimate bonding experience. I’m not really willing to give that up just because of this road block. If I CAN do it, I WILL do it. I won’t go down without a fight.

And because my bff and I can’t do much of anything without doing it together, she is also on the diet. Yep, Thomas is dairy/soy protein intolerant, also. Jess did this diet with Benson as well, and if it wasn’t for her and her research, ideas, and recipes I don’t know what I would have done. She’s a seasoned pro at keeping dairy and soy out of her diet. If you are breast feeding a MSPI (milk/soy protein intolerant) baby, go visit her blog in the works for great eating options!

www.dairyfreeforbaby.blogspot.com

11. Momma’s new do.

Not long after I had Lael I started noticing that there were some crinkles starting to form in my hair in the back. I figured it would go away or stop growing like that eventually, but it didn’t. It started getting wavy in other places, too, and so I began to use a flat iron to smooth it out. Something I have never had to do. Ever. Once I became pregnant with Ruthie I hoped that maybe it would start to grow straight again. Well, it didn’t, so naturally the waviness kept growing out. So, today we have this:

I got a much needed hair cut last week and my stylist taught me how to embrace the wave when I want to. I still have a lot to learn, and any and all tips from you wavy/curly headed girls out there is much appreciated! I bought a hairdryer with a diffuser, mousse, curl creme and hairspray. I don’t like for my waves to be hard and crunchy and I feel like the mouse has a tendency to make it that way, so if you have a recommendation for a product that can give texture without stiffness, please do tell!!

The wave started in the back after Lael’s birth, and then after Ruthie was born I started seeing some wavy hairs growing in the front. Notice how the sides close to my face aren’t quite as wavy?…

Well, Trey and I decided that I need to give birth to at least two more children so that the hair on both sides of my head will match the rest. 🙂

I love taking pictures if you didn’t know that by now. 🙂 Photography seizes a moment– a split second in time that you can never get back. I love how I can look back at a group of photos, even if it was Lael just sitting around playing with her toys, and they will totally take me right back to that day and that moment. Photography is great like that.

Can I just say– what did we DO before digital photography?? You would take a picture and just HOPE that it came out alright, that the lighting was good, and that you looked decent in it! Now all you have to do is take it, check it, delete it if need be, and keep on clicking until your heart’s content. Aaah, modern technology.

Many of you have asked what kind of camera and software I use. Let’s start with the camera. I own a Nikon D90 and I love it. This camera has the capability of shooting 4.5 frames per second. That makes this momma very happy because I usually have a moving target. I use a 50mm f/1.4 lens and a 18-200 mm lens. The 18-200 mm is like a kit lens and a zoom lens all rolled into one. It’s the mac daddy. Trey surprised me with it for Christmas and I have enjoyed it so much. It’s quite a heavy piece of glass, but it’s totally worth toting around.

I always prefer to take my pictures in natural light without a flash and the 50 mm lens is great in low light situations. It’s also great for close-ups, and it creates that beautiful, natural blurred background that we all love.

Secondly, I have been asked about my software. I use Photoshop CS5 to edit my pictures. A good camera is a great start, but what you do with the pictures is the icing on the cake. Sure, my camera takes some rock star pictures, but they don’t really come to life until I edit them.

Today I’m going to share with you one of my favorite pictures and why it’s one of my favorites.

This picture is from my post on “a new room”. I took it using my 50 mm lens. I love this picture for many reasons. Here are a few.

1. The composition. Notice that Lael is not in the center of the picture. She is off to the side and she is looking toward the side of the picture that has nothing in it. The rule of thirds is in play here. When you are looking through your viewfinder while taking a picture try to imagine two lines breaking it into three sections. Place your subject on one of those two lines. It always makes for a more interesting picture and it is pleasing to the eye. Although this rule is great for changing up the monotony of subject centered pictures, it doesn’t have to be used in every single picture you take.

2. I love the light. The natural sunlight is coming through the window from the left side and it leaves a beautiful glow on her skin and in her hair. Also notice that there are minimal shadows on her face.

3. This picture is so clean, so crisp, and so clear. You feel like you can just reach out and touch those little tiny hairs on her body! She is clear, but the background isn’t. I love that. The 50 mm lens is great about doing that for you.

4. The rest of my love for this photo is left up to the fact that the subject is my baby and a little bit of Photoshop. 🙂 I love the chocolate, vintage color. It gives the picture a feeling, a mood, if you will. That’s what I love about editing.

I would love for you to link up and share your favorite photo! Share a picture that you love and write about why you love it. You don’t have to have a fancy camera or editing software to participate.

How it works:

-Copy and paste my button with the link back to ForThisChildiPrayed.net at the beginning of your post. (Simply copy the HTML in the scrolly box and place it in the “edit HTML” part of your blogger post.)

If you have questions or need help just leave a comment and I will try my best to assist you.

-Post your favorite picture. It can be of anything really.

-Link up below and a thumbnail of your picture will show up so that everyone else can see it and click on it! Please link up your individual post–not your entire blog.

Things are growing around here. My little girl, my belly, and some herbs. How’s that for a combination? It’s safe to say that life is in full bloom.

Reminds me of a maternity shirt my mom and I recently saw hanging in a storefront. It said, “Love in full bloom”. To which my sweet momma asked, “Can you imagine wearing that?”

Please take no offense if you own that shirt. I kind of think it’s cute. Be reminded of where she’s coming from. Back in the eighties I don’t think preggo graphic T’s stating that you were, in fact, in full bloom, were all the rage.

Anyway, I decided I wanted to plant some herbs this spring to have for the summer months. Top of the list was basil, cilantro, and mint.

I love fresh basil with pasta dishes.

What is guacamole without fresh cilantro?

And isn’t tea just so much nicer with a little sprig of mint?

I was happy to have my most prized little sprout help me plant our herbs in their pots.

Excited that I could encourage the desire she has to put everything in her mouth, I told her that she could eat the little mint leaf that she was picking.

Didn’t go over too well.

This weather… I wish I could just bottle it up, so I could bring it out when the winter’s cold seems so endless and the summer’s heat seems so exhausting.

A couple of Saturdays ago we drove down the road a piece to the Greenville Zoo. It’s pretty close to our house. Close enough for us to hear the monkeys when they get all loud and riled up. Generally, it’s not common to hear the shreeks of monkeys when you walk out of your front door, so you can imagine my confusion the first time I heard it.

The zoo is located in the heart of our dear city, right beside Cleveland Park. When you’re at the park it’s kind of funny to think about the exotic animals that reside mere yards away.

As a child I never was a huge fan of the zoo. I loved and still do love animals, but the zoo kind of bored me. What fun is it to just look at the animals?? I wanted to touch them, pet them, hold them! And who wants to stand around the cages scouring the empty trees for the tropical bird that is supposed to be in there but is hiding or asleep? In the 90 degree heat. Not lil’ ol’ me. My memories of field trips to the zoo include visions of hot bus rides and sweaty little children boys. Little girls don’t sweat. They perspire. 🙂

So, now that you’ve listened to me whine about my childhood woes, (I mean, don’t you just feel so sorry for me?? :), I’ll admit that we had a splendid little trip to the zoo and look forward to many more visits!

We met up with the Millers, which exponentially increased the

fun-ness. 🙂

You can’t see him, but we were looking at a lion in this picture.

He was laying on a rock.

Just riveting I tell you.

Here are Trey and Lael looking at the Siamangs. These are the ones we can hear from our house. They get LOUD.

It’s terrible, but I can’t help but laugh at this picture.

I was actually laughing when I took it.

These monkeys are certainly not the kind of monkeys that we talk about in her animal books. I almost hesitated to even tell her that they were monkeys. She loves to make the “eeee-eeee, ooooo-ooooo” sound when we ask her about them.

The giraffes are so pretty. And would you believe that there is a house (it may be an office that looks like a house, I’m not sure) that sits up on a hill looking straight down into the giraffe exhibit?? Can you even imagine having giraffes in your back yard?

This is a Colobus Monkey. Much quieter. This momma gave birth to her little one in January and he/she is the newest attraction at the zoo. Here she is nursing her baby. I couldn’t help but identify with the look of exhaustion written all over her poor, haggard face.

Maternity clothes? That’s pretty much all I wear. I love maternity clothes. They’re so comfy.

Stretch marks? nope

Sleep: Sleep is okay. I’ve already started sleeping with a pillow between my knees. Something about it helps keep my body aligned, and that helps my back from hurting.

Best moment this week: Ummmmm… I dunno.

Movement: Lots of movement. I’m just so confused about what position she currently is in. At 16 weeks she was completely breech, and at 20 weeks she was head down. Now I’m feeling kicks and punches that make me think she’s moved again. At this point with Lael the movement was a lot stronger and more frequent. My doctor told me that this time my placenta is anterior, which means that it’s in between the front of my belly and and the baby. This makes it more difficult for me to feel her moving around.

Labor Signs: No labor signs, but the braxton hicks contractions have started. Not a shocker though because I had them a lot with Lael.

Belly Button in or out? Innie

What I miss: A TAN!!!! Oh my dear. I don’t think I’ve been this white since the day I was born.

What I am looking forward to: I guess it would be my next appointment at the beginning of March.

Weekly Wisdom: No wisdom here really, just some random thoughts.

Remember when I said that I would rather have a head cold than be nauseous? Well, I have been fighting a sinus infection for about a month now. As soon as I got over the morning sickness, I got a cold and then an infection. Sheesh. BUT, my previous statement still stands.

Also, I’ve realized that the second pregnancy has been a bit harder on my body than the first. I feel like I’ve already started to slow down. I’ve begun walking with a slight waddle. I try not to, but sometimes I can’t help it. 🙂

If you’ve had a child you know that thinking up, agreeing on, and settling on a name that your child will be called for the rest of his/her life is a daunting task. One that is fun and exciting, but one that can also be a bit stressful. Fortunately, Trey and I have been able to decide on our girls’ names pretty quickly.

If you didn’t already know, we named our first daughter Megan Lael.Megan, after my sister, Megan, and Lael, a Hebrew word that means,“Belonging to God”. We call her by her middle name, and some family members call her by both names.

The significance and meaning of a name means a lot to us. We want to be able to tell our daughters when they are older why we picked out those particular names and what they mean to us as a family.

We had a few names on the list for a girl before we found out she was a girl, and right before our ultrasound we added another name, a name that became a front runner for me. We looked up the meaning of it, and I was pretty much sold.

During the ultrasound, after finding out that she was a girl, I found myself calling her by that name in my mind as I watched her wriggle around on the screen. I kept it to myself though, and wondered what Trey’s opinion was on the matter.

Once we got in the car to head home Trey said, “Babe, I think ‘Ruthie‘ is the name. When I saw her on the screen she just looked like ‘Ruthie‘.” His thoughts had been my thoughts.

That was it. Decided.

Our second little girl’s name is:

Patricia is my mom’s name and I have always wanted to use it because I think it’s beautiful and I love my Momma. I’m so thankful for her and the example that she has set for me as a mother. She has always been there for me no matter what, was a shoulder to cry on and a friend to rejoice with. She never ceased to point me towards Christ. So, with that being said our desire was to honor her by giving our daughter her name.

Not sure, but you may have heard of the name Ruth. She only has her own book of the Bible and all. 🙂 It is, like Lael, Hebrew, and it means “friend and companion”. We love this because our hope and prayer is that little Ruthie will be our little Lael’s favorite friend and companion. And vice versa. Close in age and in heart.

We chose to add a little twist to the name Ruth and call her“Ruthie”. I add the “ie” sound to every name anyway… Lael is often referred to as “Laelie” around our house. 🙂

We realized that we are beginning a trend with our childrens’ names. Family name first, Hebrew name second, and call them by their second name. We figure it’s just meant to be that way. Why? Well, Ruthie may hate us for it later when she’s getting married and has no idea what to do with all of her names… BUT, not as much as she would have hated us for naming her Ruth Patricia Ingram and her monogram being RIP.

Yep, I’m thinkin’ she’s gonna thank us for that one.

For my birthday (which was on the 5th- more on that later), we decided to give my mom a gift. A “thanks for giving birth to me” gift, if you will. I got to thinking about it… I don’t think we recognize our own mothers enough on our own birthdays! After giving birth myself, I realized this. The day Lael was born will always be much more of a day of remembrance for me than it will be for her. A day and a moment burned into my memory for as long as I live.

So, on my birthday we revealed to my mom the name of our littlest girl.

Our time with the Ryan’s isn’t really complete without a photo shoot with Benson and Lael. It most always includes a lot of bribing. Benjamin bribed him with candy, but I totally trumped him when I told Benson that he could actually have one of the big red balloons. Hook, line and sinker. Done.

It’s really the sitting still and looking at the camera that takes bribing… clearly not the puckering up. I mean, he is a boy. It comes naturally. 🙂

This boy loves “The Bopper”. This is his current name for her. It started out as “Laelie Bop”, then “Laelie Bopper”, and now it’s “The Bopper”, or “Bopper” for short.

It just makes me smile every time he says it.

This would probably be the moment when I confirmed to him that, yes, indeed, he actually could take the balloon home.

I didn’t want to leave out this picture of me on my first birthday. I love the look of excitement of my momma’s face. 🙂